The Darkness cursed ones

-Chapter 20-

Shino lies awake in the dark.
The silence of the house feels heavy, wrapping around him like the curse itself, and no matter how tightly he shuts his eyes, sleep refuses to come.
Shino sighs heavily. He stands up walking to the window. It's still raining.
Normally the sound of rain would calm Shino, but tonight it's different. Maybe because of the encounter with Sun?
Shino watches the rain fall, hoping it will calm him like usual after a while.
As the rain pours down, Shino notices a figure, it's Sun, standing motionless.
Shino opens the window hurriedly to see if it's actually Sun.
"Sun...?"
He whispers.
Sun just stands in the rain without a single movement or sound.
A wave of fear washes over Shino.
"H..hey? You...you're not real right? Or you are but...under Jace control..."
Finally Sun speaks in a shaky voice.
"Stop speaking to me...he is still controlling me...I can break free sometimes but...dont take the risk Shino...please, keep your distance..."
Shinos eyes fill with tears he responses in the same shaky voice.
"What do you mean? How am I supposed to give up on my bestfriend like this?! Sun please! I know you're stronger than him! I just know it..."
Sun shakes his head.
"It terrifies me...I dont know what he did but...I don't even realize anymore when he controls me...It's like I'm travelling to the future in just a second...but in this second, hours pass...and I have no idea what he is making me do...if I hurt you...I wouldn't even notice..."
Shino climbs out of the window.
"Sun please!"
Sun backs away.
"Go away!"
He yells.
"Sun...Jace will pay for what he did...for what he did to you."
Shino mumbles in pure hatred.
Suns eyes flash red.
He speaks.
"You think he will? Do you know what I think? I think you will pay for all the things you havent done. For letting time pass without caring about it. And you know who I think is making you pay for it? Yourself."
Shino freezes. His eyes widen in shock. He knows...Sun, or Jace, is so right. Raindrops are mixing with his tears on his face.
Won stands at the window.
He yells to Shino
"Shino! Come back in! You know that Sun is under Jace control!"
But Shino is like paralyzed.
"Sun please...I know you're in there and I wont let you fight this alone..."
"SHINO!"
Won yells frustrated.
He climbs out the window as well and pulls Shino back inside.
Just as they get back inside, Sun dashes forwards with a pitch black dagger.
Won quickly closes the window.
The glass of it shattering as the blade slams through it.
At the edges where the window broke as well as on the glass pieces are black stripes now, just like when the darkness broke through the window in the living room.
"Holy shit...This blade is filled with darkness"
Won says in shock.
He pulls, the still paralyzed looking, Shino behind him.
"Listen up! Better go back to your crazy boyfriend you traitor!"
Won yells aggressive.
Sun chuckles.
"You call us the traitors? Who is going to be the real traitor, hm? Shino is not listening anyway. You don't have to defend yourself."
Won hesitates.
"I dont know what you're talking about. You are just a manipulated little weakling."
He spits out eventually.
Sun chuckles again before he disappears into the night.
Just in that moment Shino wakes up from the paralyzed state again.
"Seriously Shino! I told you in that house already that he is still under Jace control!"
Won yells.
"I know! I know that Sun is still under his control but what am I supposed to do?! He is my bestfriend!"
Shino replies.
"No Shino. He isn't your bestfriend. He was your bestfriend. Understand it."
Shino stays silent. Wons words cutted deep.
Won climbs back into his bed while Shino just stares out the window, which repaired itself again.
He can barely see anything through the black stripes, but that doesn't matter to him right now. Neither that the black stripes are literal darkness filled. The curse might as well get him now.
After a while of staring outside he decides to go to bed as well. He falls asleep slowly.

As the next day begins and Won already left the room, Shino sits at his desk doing what he is most good at.
Drawing.
Normally his drawings are drawings of nature or cozy rooms.
But his drawings got darker.
He draws a black figure in the rain.
Just like he saw yesterday in real life.
Little tear drops fall onto the paper.
He scribbles over the figure.
'He was your bestfriend'
Just like Won told him yesterday.
Suddenly Shino notices Niki, who is looking over his shoulder onto the drawing.
"What's that? And why is it so...dark?"
Niki asks, slightly worried.
Shino quickly covers the drawing with his hands.
"Nothing! Nothing at all..."
"You've been crying?"
Niki asks as he notices Shinos wet lashes.
Shino stands up and walks to the bathroom to wash his face.
Niki follows worried.
"Do you feel...good enough to join us at breakfast?"
Shino shrugs with his shoulders.
"You don't have to...I can just bring a plate to your room if you want."
Niki offers, but Shino shakes his head.
"I'll join...just...give me a second please..."
He mumbles.
Niki nods understanding, leaving Shinos room.
Shino washes his face quickly taking deep breaths to calm himself.
"Come on Shino...don't be dramatic."
He whispers to himself.
Shino leaves his room eventually and heads towards the living room.
As he opens the door, the other boys are all ready sitting at the table.
The smell of breakfast lingers in the air, but it does little to lift the weight pressing on Shino's chest.
He pulls out the chair next to Niki, avoiding eye contact with the others as he sits down.
"You're up late,"
Jay comments, leaning back in his chair with a steaming mug of tea in his hands. There's no judgment in his voice, just observation.
"Couldn't sleep,"
Shino replies shortly, reaching for the basket of bread.
"That's becoming a habit,"
Heesan adds, his voice calm but worried.
"Is it any wonder?"
Niki interjects, cutting through the tension as he passes Shino the butter. "It's not like any of us sleep well these days."
Won grunts in agreement, though his focus remains on his plate.
"We don't have time to complain about it. We've got too much to deal with today."
Jay sets his mug down with a soft clink.
"Speaking of, we're heading to the cave again, right? We need more crystals to make new bracelets."
Shino stiffens at the mention of the cave, his appetite fading.
The memory of his restless night and the rain outside creeps into his mind, along with the shadowy figure of Sun he saw.
He casts a quick glance towards the window, the rain still drumming against the glass.
"Shino?"
Jay's voice breaks through his thoughts.
He blinks, realizing everyone's staring at him.
"Yeah,"
he mutters.
"The cave. Sure."
But something about the rain feels wrong.